1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to a food dispensing apparatus, and more particularly to a fountain that flows with a fluidic material, such as a beverage.
2. Description of the Related Art
Fondue machines typically include a bowl shaped container for holding and heating chocolate. The container is heated by a heating element to melt the chocolate. Fruit, or other food items, may then be dipped into the container of the fondue machine.
In recent years, fondue machines have taken on alternate configurations. For example, Design & Réalisation Inc. in Montreal, Canada markets a chocolate fountain that moves melted chocolate so that it flows over a number of tiers like a fountain. FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a prior art chocolate fountain 100, such as the fountain marketed by Design & Réalisation Inc. As shown in FIG. 1, the chocolate fountain 100 includes a container 110 configured to hold and melt chocolate. A hollow barrel 120 is mounted in the center of the container 110 and provides a pathway for melted chocolate to be moved upward, through its hollow center, to the top of the fountain. An auger including a spiral flight extending around the length of the auger is mounted within the hollow barrel 120. The auger is rotated in order to lift the melted chocolate upward in the hollow barrel 120. On the top of the barrel 120 is a crown 140 that fills with chocolate that flows out of the barrel 120. When the crown 140 is full of melted chocolate, the chocolate begins to fall over the edges of the crown 140. Attached to the barrel 120 are tiers 130 which vary in size. As the chocolate flows downwardly from the crown 140, the chocolate flows over each of the tiers 130, thus forming a multi-level chocolate waterfall. The chocolate fountain 100 also includes a heating element that is placed below the container 110.
Fountains that circulate beverages for drinking, rather than melted food items such as chocolate or cheese, are also currently available. In general, these fountains use a pump to move the beverage through the fountain so that the beverage flows out of an upper structure of the fountain in order to create a stream of beverage that may be used to fill beverage containers. However, existing beverage fountains lack any means for adjusting a temperature of the beverage contained in the fountain. Accordingly, the temperature of a hot beverage, such as tea or coffee, that is circulated in an existing beverage fountain will slowly change towards the temperature of the ambient air. Accordingly, hot beverages only remain at suitable temperatures for very limited time periods and, thus, hot beverages are rarely used in existing beverage fountains. Similarly, existing beverage fountains lack any means for cooling the beverage contained in the fountain. Thus, users of currently available fountains must mix a cold substance, such as ice, into the beverage, thereby diluting the beverage and only providing cooling for a limited time period. Accordingly, the temperature of cold beverages, such as juice or soda, that is circulated in an existing beverage fountain will slowly increase towards the temperature of the ambient air. A fountain that adjusts and maintains a desired temperature of a circulating beverage is desired. More particularly, a beverage fountain that heats and/or cools a beverage is desired.